Search Results (22)

In Central Poland, bryophytes growing on trees have not previously been the subject of detailed analysis. Furthermore, the collected data have never been examined using mathematical methods. Several years of observation of the bryoflora in Central Poland, conducted across 465 hectares of forest and involving 21 tree species, revealed that these trees are colonized by 67 bryophyte taxa, primarily mosses. In this part of Poland most of the trees were overgrown by common, multi-substrate forest species such as Hypnum cupressiforme, Brachythecium rutabulum, or Lophocolea heterophylla. On the other hand, species occurring more rarely, and typically limited to single tree species, included, e.g., Dicranum viride and representatives of the genus Orthotrichum sensu lato (e.g., O. affine, O. pumilum, O. speciosum). The conducted research indicated that not only deciduous trees (e.g., Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Betula pendula) were readily colonized by bryophytes—Abies alba, as well as other coniferous trees, also proved to be a highly favorable substrate for these organisms. Moreover, analysis of the bryophytes of individual trees revealed that the trees formed three distinct groups, and the grouping is influenced not only by the species composition of the growing bryophytes. Nonetheless, deciduous and coniferous taxa within each group were colonized by similar mosses and liverworts species. Additionally, different zones of the tree trunk were found to be inhabited by distinct bryophyte assemblages. Thus, the study highlights the specificity of mosses and liverworts flora growing on trees in Central Poland. Full article

Altitudinal gradients offer powerful natural frameworks to investigate how environmental factors shape biodiversity, especially on young oceanic volcanic islands where short spatial distances encompass sharp climatic transitions. This study documents bryophyte diversity and examines how elevation, substrate, and environmental variables influence the structure of bryophyte communities on Flores Island (Azores). Across five sites and 385 microplots, 89 species from 37 families were recorded, with liverworts predominating (liverwort-to-moss ratio of 1.41). Species richness and abundance followed a unimodal pattern, peaking at mid-elevations (400–600 m a.s.l.), where humid and thermally stable conditions favor the coexistence of lowland and montane taxa. Even modest altitudinal shifts corresponded to pronounced turnover in community composition, revealing strong ecological filtering along the gradient. Substrate type further influenced diversity patterns, with liverworts dominating epiphytic and lignicolous habitats, while mosses were more diverse on terricolous and rupicolous substrates. The presence of several Azorean and Macaronesian endemics, including threatened taxa, highlights the conservation importance of mid-elevation habitats. Overall, these results show that fine-scale altitudinal variation generates substantial ecological differentiation, underscoring the role of montane forests as refugia for hygrophilous and endemic bryophytes and as sensitive indicators of environmental change in island ecosystems. Full article

Airborne microplastics (MPs) are a global issue, and there is an urgent need to prevent their spread in the environment. Sensitive and reliable methods are also needed to assess their deposition and effectively evaluate risk in terrestrial ecosystems. Current automated monitoring devices are expensive and do not enable large-scale mapping of MP deposition. As with other persistent atmospheric contaminants, developing accurate, cost-effective and easily applicable biomonitoring methods would therefore be highly beneficial. Cryptogams are among the most suitable biomonitors of airborne contaminants, and preliminary surveys show that epiphytic lichens accumulate higher concentrations of MPs in urban areas and near landfills than in control sites. However, the interaction between lichen thalli and MPs is weak and, as discussed in this review, the anthropogenic fibres and plastic fragments intercepted and retained by lichens probably do not reflect the levels in bulk atmospheric deposition. While emphasizing the need for studies evaluating the effectiveness of cryptogams in accumulating different types of airborne MPs under various meteorological conditions, this review also suggests directing future research efforts toward mosses, which seem to accumulate much higher concentrations of MPs than lichens in both active and passive biomonitoring surveys. Full article

Ball moss is an epiphytic, perennial monocot that attaches to many surfaces, including ornamental plants. Though not parasitic, ball moss can reduce the growth and health of host plants. Controlling ball moss has thus become necessary. Recommended methods include spraying baking soda or copper fungicide. This study was designed to validate the recommended methods and discover new, efficacious botanical ingredients in laboratory and field experiments. The efficacy of baking soda, but not the copper fungicide, was confirmed. However, baking soda blindly damages host plants and is not environmentally friendly. A screening study over several candidates (a monocot herbicide, eugenol, thymol, oleander extracts) selected eugenol from clove essential oil. In repeated laboratory studies, eugenol formulated into a soluble liquid (ESL) at 1% concentration achieved comparable lethal levels to 50% baking soda solution against ball moss. Efficacy was most apparent when applied in autumn. In the field trials, spraying ESL directly onto ball moss on live oak trees rather than broadcasting from the ground was efficacious. Possible mechanisms and limitations were discussed. Full article

The mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber deposit from northern Myanmar is currently a promising locality for reconstructing Cretaceous bryophyte floras. However, the vast majority of bryophyte fossils reported from Kachin amber are epiphytic leafy liverworts of Porellales and pleurocarpous mosses of Hypnodendrales, while acrocarpous mosses are rarely discovered. In addition, terrestrial-to-lithophytic bryophytes have never been reported from Kachin amber. In this study, we describe three new species of acrocarpous mosses, Calymperites proboscideus sp. nov., Calymperites chenianus sp. nov., and Ditrichites aristatus sp. nov. (Dicranales s.l.), based on 34 whole plants and 11 fragments embedded in 13 pieces of Kachin amber. Calymperites chenianus is an epiphytic species based on the connection to a bark fragment, while the other two species are the first terrestrial-to-lithophytic bryophytes from Kachin amber, based on the attachment of rhizoids to soil or rock. Calymperites chenianus and Calymperites proboscideus probably represent stem group members of Calymperaceae. Ditrichites aristatus is likely a member of Ditrichaceae or Dicranaceae. These new findings provide compelling evidence for palaeoecological habitat reconstruction of acrocarpous mosses and significantly expand our understanding of the species diversity of bryophyte communities in the Cretaceous amber forest of Myanmar. Full article

Epiphytic bryophytes are an important component in terms of the diversity and functioning of montane forests known as biodiversity hotspots. Bryophytes are highly dependent on their external environments because they are sensitive to environmental changes related to disturbance, fragmentation, air pollution, and climate change. The richness and composition of bryophytes in remnants of primary and secondary forests were analyzed, where the richness and cover were recorded on trunk bases of 120 trees. Changes in species richness and diversity were analyzed using generalized linear models (GLMs), and changes in species composition, using multivariate analysis. A total of 57 bryophyte species (36 liverworts and 21 mosses) were recorded in trunk bases. For the first time, 19 new liverworts for the province of El Oro are reported. The richness and diversity of bryophyte species decrease in disturbed forests when compared to primary forests, with a marked decrease in species less adapted to conditions of high light (shade epiphytes). In the same line, species composition is different in each type of forest, where bryophytes with high humidity requirements were abundant in primary forests. This study confirms that forest disturbance is a key factor in determining not only the number of species but also the composition of bryophyte species. The maximum tree diameter and primary forest remnants are important factors in the conservation of sensitive bryophyte species at the base of trees in one of the last remnants of mountain forests in El Oro Province, Ecuador. Full article

Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. is a tripartite, broad-lobed foliose lichen usually found on bark and on epiphytic and epilithic mosses in humid forests. Currently, the species is threatened in most European countries because of its sensitivity to environmental alterations. In this paper, a total of 107 previous studies across more than 50 years were analysed to gain insight into the multiple roles that L. pulmonaria plays in forest habitats, specifically relating to ecosystem services and as environmental bioindicator. Content analysis was employed to systematically characterise and classify the existing papers on the functions performed by L. pulmonaria into several groups mostly based on research topic and scope. Two main types of ecosystem services (N₂ fixation and feeding) offered by L. pulmonaria have been identified, with varying research aims and types of parameters measured in the studies. Two aspects of current biomonitoring applications using L. pulmonaria in forest habitats (concerning atmospheric pollution and forest management) were analysed, and it was found that the number of related studies increased significantly in recent years. Finally, the current practices of monitoring using L. pulmonaria as a biological indicator are discussed, and recommendations are provided. Full article

The carbon isotopic composition of plant tissues is a diagnostic feature of a number of physiological and ecological processes. The most important of which is the type of photosynthesis. In epiphytes, two peaks of δ¹³C values are known to correspond to C3 and CAM photosynthesis and some variants of transitional forms between them. But the diagnosis of δ¹³C may not be limited to the type of photosynthesis. This makes it necessary to study trends in the distribution of δ¹³C in a broader ecological context. In this study, we present trends in the distribution of δ¹³C epiphytes and other structurally dependent plants and their relationship with other isotopic and elemental parameters (δ¹⁵N, C%, N%, and C/N) and with life forms of epiphytes, taxonomic or vertical groups in crowns (synusia), and the parameters of the trees themselves. In all communities except for the moss forest, δ¹³C in epiphyte leaves was significantly higher (less negative) than in phorophyte leaves. In general, δ¹³C in epiphytes in mountain communities (pine forest and moss forest) was more negative than in other communities due to the absence of succulents with CAM. δ¹³C in the leaves of all epiphytes was negatively related to the percentage of carbon and δ¹⁵N in the leaves of the phorophyte. When considering the Gaussian distributions of δ¹³C with the method of modeling mixtures, we observe the unimodal, bimodal, and trimodal nature of the distribution. Full article

Hymenophyllaceae (filmy ferns), with ca. 430 species, are the most species-rich family of early diverging leptosporangiate ferns but have a poor fossil record dating back to the Late Triassic period. Traditionally, Hymenophyllaceae comprise two species-rich genera or clades: Hymenophyllum (hymenophylloids) and Trichomanes sensu lato (s.l.) (trichomanoids). Unequivocal fossils of Hymenophyllum have been reported from the Early Cretaceous of central Mongolia and the early Eocene of Okanogan Highlands, Washington, USA. However, despite being a highly diversified lineage with an estimated 184 extant species, Trichomanes s.l. lack a definitive fossil record, which severely affects the reliability of the molecular dating of this group. Here, we report the first unequivocal fossil record of Trichomanes s.l. as T. angustum comb. nov. on the basis of fertile material with tubular involucres and long exserted receptacles from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, Myanmar. This species was previously tentatively assigned to Hymenophyllites due to a lack of fertile evidence. Inferred to be an epiphytic fern, T. angustum further enriches the species diversity of the epiphytic palaeocommunities in the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, which are mainly composed of Porellalean leafy liverworts and Dicranalean and Hypnodendralean mosses. Fossil records indicate that Hymenophyllaceae probably originated in the tropical Pangea at the latest in the Triassic when all continents were coalesced into a single landmass and had already accumulated some notable diversity in low-middle latitude areas of Laurasia by the mid-Cretaceous period. Full article

The atmosphere is an important pathway for microplastic (MP) transport; however, observations are limited, as traditional sampling methods are generally labor-intensive. Biological monitors (biomonitors) have been widely used as a simple alternative to determine the abundance or presence of anthropogenic pollutants. Here, we compared the effectiveness of co-located lichen and moss species as biomonitors of the atmospheric deposition of microplastics. Samples of the epiphytic lichen Evernia prunastri and the epigeic moss Pseudoscleropodium purum were collected from five remote areas of central Italy. A total of 154 MPs were found across all samples, 93.5% of which were fibers and 6.5% were fragments. The accumulation of MPs for lichens (range of 8–12 MP/g) was significantly lower than for mosses (12–17 MP/g), which might be related to their structural characteristics or habitat positions (epiphytic versus epigeic). Nonetheless, higher accumulation facilitates analytical determination and provides greater separation from the limit of detection, suggesting that mosses are preferred over lichens for studying the deposition of airborne MPs. This study further suggests that biomonitoring may be an effective tool to assess the spatial distribution of atmospheric microplastics, which is a key requirement for the development of waste mitigation policies. Full article

Tropical cloud forests are characterized by abundant and biodiverse mosses which grow epiphytically as well as on the ground. Nitrogen (N)-fixing cyanobacteria live in association with most mosses, and contribute greatly to the N pool via biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). However, the availability of nutrients, especially N and phosphorus (P), can influence BNF rates drastically. To evaluate the effects of increased N and P availability on BNF in mosses, we conducted a laboratory experiment where we added N and P, in isolation and combined, to three mosses (Campylopus sp., Dicranum sp. and Thuidium peruvianum) collected from a cloud forest in Peru. Our results show that N addition almost completely inhibited BNF within a day, whereas P addition caused variable results across moss species. Low N₂ fixation rates were observed in Campylopus sp. across the experiment. BNF in Dicranum sp. was decreased by all nutrients, while P additions seemed to promote BNF in T. peruvianum. Hence, each of the three mosses contributes distinctively to the ecosystem N pool depending on nutrient availability. Moreover, increased N input will likely significantly decrease BNF associated with mosses also in tropical cloud forests, thereby limiting N input to these ecosystems via the moss-cyanobacteria pathway. Full article

Epiphytes, including vascular and non-vascular, constitute a large part of global plant biodiversity. Distribution of obligatory epiphytic bryophytes results from climate and local habitat conditions. The most important epiphytic bryophytes and at the same time poorly investigated and taxonomically problematic ones belong to the family Orthotrichaceae. Epiphytic mosses are also ideal organisms for species modelling, because of having no roots, they are highly dependent on external environmental conditions. For this purpose, we used the ecological niche modelling approach to define their potential distribution in China and adjacent areas and explore factors that shape this distribution. We used 617 occurrence records of 23 species from six genera within the Orthotrichaceae family. Our results suggest that the distribution of members of the Orthotrichaceae family is predominantly affected by bioclimatic variables, especially bio10 (mean temperature of the warmest quarter), bio15 (precipitation seasonality), bio18 (precipitation of the warmest quarter), bio19 (precipitation of the coldest quarter), bio9 (mean temperature of the driest quarter), and bio2 (mean diurnal range). However, the distribution of particular genera is ruled by a different set of those variables. The distribution of two genera (Leratia and Ulota) is also highly influenced by land cover (especially mixed/other trees), whereas human footprint shows a moderate contribution to models of three genera (Lewinskya, Orthotrichum, Nyholmiella). Based on the occupied climatic niche and distribution patterns, representatives of the studied family are divided into two groups. The ‘western-montane group‘ is characterised by lower temperatures and lower precipitation whereas the ‘eastern-lowland’ group‘ by more humid and warmer conditions. Full article

Orthotrichoideae aggregates epiphytic mosses widespread throughout temperate regions and high tropical mountains of the world. Recently, important advances have been made in elucidating its phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary patterns. Fourteen genera are currently recognized within the subfamily, which are spread over two main tribes: Orthotricheae, comprising Orthotrichinae and Lewinskyinae, and Zygodonteae. Despite the progress, some groups have received little attention, as is the case of genus Codonoblepharon. Recent studies have suggested that this genus may represent a separate lineage from Zygodonteae, in which it traditionally has been considered. Although, none of the studies were conclusive as they did not include a representative sampling of the Codonoblepharon species. This work aims to evaluate the taxonomic position of Codonoblepharon and its phylogenetic relationships within Orthotrichoideae. For this purpose, we present an updated phylogenetic tree based on four different loci, one belonging to the nuclear genome (ITS2) and the rest to the plastid genome (rps4, trnG and trnL-F). The phylogenetic reconstruction recovers all samples of Codonoblepharon in a monophyletic group, sister to the rest of the subfamily, constituting a lineage independent of the two currently recognized tribes. For this reason, we propose the new tribe Codonoblepharonteae to accommodate Codonoblepharon. Full article

Orthotrichum pulchellum is a species of epiphytic moss in which a significant expansion from the oceanic part of Europe to the east of the continent has been observed in the recent two decades. The improvement in air quality in Central and Eastern Europe, but also climate change, probably plays a role in this. This study shows what direction of its spreading we can expect in the future. Ecological niche modeling (ENM) is a widespread method to find out species niches in environmental and geographical space, which allows us to highlight areas that have a higher probability of occurrences of the studied species, based on identifying similar environmental conditions to those already known. We also made predictions for different future scenarios (CMIP5 climatology datasets for the years 2041–2060). Because we were not able to distinguish between historical and newly settled areas, and so, had to use some of the traditional approaches when modeling invasive species, we proposed to use niche clusters based on environmental layers to split the data of all known occurrences and make models separately for each cluster. This approach seems reasonable from the ecological species point of view because using all the morphologically same samples could be misleading. Altogether, 2712 samples were used from three separate niche clusters. For building the models, the Maxent algorithm was used as a well-tested, well-accepted, and commonly used method. Full article

In a natural regeneration process, a community dominated by birch and aspen forms in the site 35 years after a bilberry-type spruce stand is logged down. The newly formed ecotone complex consists of four zones, each characterized by certain features of the ground vegetation and epiphytic vegetation structure. The transitional zones and the mature bilberry-type spruce forest feature a clear dominance of boreal dwarf shrubs (bilberry and cowberry). Another feature of the transitional zone is a greater role of hygrophytic mosses of the genera Polytrichum and Sphagnum. Meanwhile, the true mosses Pleurozium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens dominate under spruce forest canopy, and the moss cover in the young deciduous stand is virtually nonexistent. The structure of epiphytic vegetation depends on the habitat conditions—the surface of tree trunks in the transitional zone is better lit and drier than inside the tree stand, which results in a higher abundance of epiphytic lichens of the genus Cladonia. The deciduous–coniferous fine root biomass ratio is dependent on the tree stand structure and is unrelated to ecotone zones. Overall, studies have demonstrated that transitional zones have certain characteristic ecological and community features, which persist for a long time after tree stand removal. Full article